Montreal's CLUES have just released their debut full-length today on Constellation Records, and already the response has been amazing.
As they prepare for their first ever, full US tour, the band's eleven song effort has been garnering attention from some of the largest press outlets throughout the country, and have had fans of ex-Unicorns frontman Alden Penner foaming for months as they lie in wait for his newest material.
Featuring co-founders Alden Penner (formerly of indie-rock's beloved band The Unicorns) and friend Brendan Reed, the band's debut is forged from postpunk, no-wave and psych influences, and composes a rare breed of complex pop anthems that consistently inscribe their own perfect limits, without overreaching and without pandering. Here's what the press is saying:
From start to finish, Clues packs in surprises and comes off as an enigmatic adventure album thanks to lyrics about dragons, severed heads, a throne, death, victory, and caves. With its eerie sound effects, oddly detached vocals, and recurring melodies and lyrics, "In the Dream" is delightfully unsettling and mysterious, and "Perfect Fit" is a mini schizophrenic symphony with constantly changing tempos. - NPR
Devoted chroniclers of the Canadian music scene may already be hip to Clues, but now, after building a small cult following on their instrument-packed live shows and online music store villavillanola.com, the supergroup is ready for the next step. - Spin
Bouncy and effervescent - Prefix
The experimental indie-pop group's instrumental dexterity is on display on lead single “Remember Severed Head,” lacing multiple drums with careening bass and lyrics that seem to be lifted from a Lord Of The Rings itinerary. It's certainly worth investigating. - Magnet
Clues has a handle on that tell-tale brew of Montreal indie, with quirky turns of phrase, falsetto vocal breakdowns, and the occasional killer hook. - Impose
Clues, like many Canadian bands, has a penchant for grandiose arrangements, helter-skelter rhythms, oblique lyrics, and finding unusual instruments to play with, so before you pop this one on, prepare yourself for something from the bizarre side of the street. In a good way. - Anthem
* Scroll below for complete tour dates, and watch the band's video for "Haarp" here!
Clues Tracklist:
01 Haarp * watch the video here!
02 Remember Severed Head
03 Approach The Throne
04 In The Dream
05 You Have My Eyes Now
06 Perfect Fit
07 Elope
08 Cave Mouth
09 Crows
10 Ledmonton
11 Lets Get Strong
Clues Live!
21-May-09 Toronto ON Sneaky Dees
22-May-09 Chicago IL Schubas
23-May-09 Minneapolis MN Triple Rock Social Club
25-May-09 Winnipeg MB Pyramid Cabaret
26-May-09 Saskatoon SK Amigos
27-May-09 Calgary AB Marquee
28-May-09 Edmonton AB Brixx
30-May-09 Vancouver BC Biltmore Cabaret
31-May-09 Victoria BC Lucky Bar
1-Jun-09 Seattle WA Neumos
2-Jun-09 Portland OR Backspace
4-Jun-09 San Francisco CA Rickshaw Shop
5-Jun-09 Los Angeles CA Echo
6-Jun-09 Costa Mesa CA Detroit
9-Jun-09 Dallas TX The Loft
10-Jun-09 Austin TX The Independent
11-Jun-09 New Orleans LA One-Eyed Jacks
12-Jun-09 Atlanta GA Drunken Unicorn
15-Jun-09 Washington DC DC9
16-Jun-09 Philadelphia PA The Barbary
17-Jun-09 New York NY Santos Playhouse
18-Jun-09 Montreal QC La Sala Rossa w/ The Dead Science
As they prepare for their first ever, full US tour, the band's eleven song effort has been garnering attention from some of the largest press outlets throughout the country, and have had fans of ex-Unicorns frontman Alden Penner foaming for months as they lie in wait for his newest material.
Featuring co-founders Alden Penner (formerly of indie-rock's beloved band The Unicorns) and friend Brendan Reed, the band's debut is forged from postpunk, no-wave and psych influences, and composes a rare breed of complex pop anthems that consistently inscribe their own perfect limits, without overreaching and without pandering. Here's what the press is saying:
From start to finish, Clues packs in surprises and comes off as an enigmatic adventure album thanks to lyrics about dragons, severed heads, a throne, death, victory, and caves. With its eerie sound effects, oddly detached vocals, and recurring melodies and lyrics, "In the Dream" is delightfully unsettling and mysterious, and "Perfect Fit" is a mini schizophrenic symphony with constantly changing tempos. - NPR
Devoted chroniclers of the Canadian music scene may already be hip to Clues, but now, after building a small cult following on their instrument-packed live shows and online music store villavillanola.com, the supergroup is ready for the next step. - Spin
Bouncy and effervescent - Prefix
The experimental indie-pop group's instrumental dexterity is on display on lead single “Remember Severed Head,” lacing multiple drums with careening bass and lyrics that seem to be lifted from a Lord Of The Rings itinerary. It's certainly worth investigating. - Magnet
Clues has a handle on that tell-tale brew of Montreal indie, with quirky turns of phrase, falsetto vocal breakdowns, and the occasional killer hook. - Impose
Clues, like many Canadian bands, has a penchant for grandiose arrangements, helter-skelter rhythms, oblique lyrics, and finding unusual instruments to play with, so before you pop this one on, prepare yourself for something from the bizarre side of the street. In a good way. - Anthem
* Scroll below for complete tour dates, and watch the band's video for "Haarp" here!
Clues Tracklist:
01 Haarp * watch the video here!
02 Remember Severed Head
03 Approach The Throne
04 In The Dream
05 You Have My Eyes Now
06 Perfect Fit
07 Elope
08 Cave Mouth
09 Crows
10 Ledmonton
11 Lets Get Strong
Clues Live!
21-May-09 Toronto ON Sneaky Dees
22-May-09 Chicago IL Schubas
23-May-09 Minneapolis MN Triple Rock Social Club
25-May-09 Winnipeg MB Pyramid Cabaret
26-May-09 Saskatoon SK Amigos
27-May-09 Calgary AB Marquee
28-May-09 Edmonton AB Brixx
30-May-09 Vancouver BC Biltmore Cabaret
31-May-09 Victoria BC Lucky Bar
1-Jun-09 Seattle WA Neumos
2-Jun-09 Portland OR Backspace
4-Jun-09 San Francisco CA Rickshaw Shop
5-Jun-09 Los Angeles CA Echo
6-Jun-09 Costa Mesa CA Detroit
9-Jun-09 Dallas TX The Loft
10-Jun-09 Austin TX The Independent
11-Jun-09 New Orleans LA One-Eyed Jacks
12-Jun-09 Atlanta GA Drunken Unicorn
15-Jun-09 Washington DC DC9
16-Jun-09 Philadelphia PA The Barbary
17-Jun-09 New York NY Santos Playhouse
18-Jun-09 Montreal QC La Sala Rossa w/ The Dead Science
